1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to package making machines. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus that takes as input a t-fold, carton blank and partially erects it so that a product can be inserted into it, and then finishes folding and sealing the carton to which a mailing label can be added.
2. Description of the Related Art
Packaging systems are an important aspect of manufacturing. A significant expense in manufacturing is the erecting of a packaging case from a blank, packing the case with product, and sealing the case after filling. Cases include, for example, containers, boxes, cartons and similar packages for containing product, which are made of paper, cardboard and similar materials. Until comparatively recent times, human hands have often performed the tasks of assembling, packing and sealing cases.
Meanwhile, it is well known that case blanks or unassembled cases are available in a wide range of configurations. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,253,770 and 8,234,844 which show, respectively, the blanks for a nine and seven panel, pre-creased (i.e., to establish the fold lines which delineate the panels) cartons. Typically, the erecting and sealing of a regular, slotted or pre-creased to establish the panel's fold lines, multi-panel carton or container proceeds along the following lines; from an initial flattened condition, the side panels that extend from a bottom panel are folded upwards into a box-like or rectangular configuration and glue or tape is applied to specified flap surfaces that are used to join the side surfaces together. A product is usually inserted at this time into this partially assembled carton or container. The top panel and its flaps are then folded inwardly and glue or tape is again applied.
Packaging lines for erecting, filling and sealing large quantities of cases that are all going to the same address, possibly by a truck shipment, are well known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,388,507, 8,387,349, 7,828,708, 7,669,385, 7,510,517, and 6,622,461. However, there exist no such apparatuses that can handle both the packaging and the labeling requirements when the packages are all going to, for example, different mailing addresses. For smaller customer orders that require the shipment of only a limited number of products to any particular customer, many manufacturers still erect these blank cases by hand, then fill the partially assembled cases with product, and finally close, seal and manually attach a mailing label to the product-containing, assembled cases.
However, with manpower costs continuing to rise, there is an ever increasing demand for new and improved automated systems or apparatuses that can reduce the manpower resources needed to erect or assemble, pack, seal and label shipping containers or cartons. Thus, despite of a wide assortment of packaging machines, there still exists a need for new and improved automated packaging systems.